Newly updated for 2024!
A Google Slideshow covering 233 titles, in 7 categories,
with book covers linking directly to copyright-compliant video
read alouds of recommended picture books.
Use for Black History Month & all year!
Categories include:
(a purposeful, intentional start with positive portrayals)
Black Joy & Magic
Families
Natural Hair
Empowering Stories
Black History
Excellence / Innovators / History Makers (Biographies)
Racial / Community Awareness
Direct Link to view in Google Slides & add a shortcut to your Drive.
If you prefer an editable version of your own, you can find the listing for a force copy link in my ko-fi shop.
Where did the idea for this come from?
On June 16, 2020 I first posted the Honoring Black Lives Virtual Picture Book Library with the note below. I then shared an updated version on January 21, 2022. This year I decided to update the formatting to clean things up a bit while also double checking all links. I also included many new titles I recommend for Black History Month and beyond.
After the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor just weeks apart led to an increase in public protests against police brutality toward Black Americans, many adults were looking for books to read to students/children. There were also calls to honor (and pay for) the work of Black creatives in the kidlit industry. At the same time, teachers across the country were finishing the school year virtually as school buildings were closed due to the global pandemic. This was a way to help.
As a librarian seeing a need for access to picture book read alouds that honor the copyright of Black authors & illustrators (by having permission to share public videos of full read alouds of their books) and knowing work around inclusive representation includes a call to choose contemporary stories that share Black joy and not just historical and current oppression, it was clear a curated resource collection could be helpful for many educators. The search for videos began with an intentional focus on stories of Black joy and magic and ones with empowering messages and showcasing contributions Black people have made, along with some that more directly address racialized issues in American society. An effort was also made to intentionally highlight books from Black creators, with few exceptions.
